As our population ages, the need for clear, practical, and useful life advice rises. As we age, we try to plan for each stage in our lives the best we can. Often, we seek the advice of specialized professionals to guide us. The Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies (CIEPS) aims to provide the best standards for elder issues education, and BCC is proud to be partnered with CIEPS to offer the Elder Planning Counselor (EPC™) Designation Program. There are no prerequisites for the EPC program; EPC is a great next step to further your career and enhance how you can help your clients throughout their lives. Other professions can benefit from the training as well, such as accountants, healthcare workers, social workers, nurses, and more.
What is the Elder Planning Counselor Designation Program?
The EPC designation is a specialization that focuses on advising elders in financial, social, health, and estate planning. BCC offers two options for the EPC program; live instruction, which takes place over 3.5 days, or self-study that students have up to 6 months to complete. The live webinar offers context and practice with a seasoned instructor who will share scenarios that brings the books to life.
Our client, Sonia W, took our EPC course with her managers and found the content practical and useful. She found the live instruction over the four-day period especially beneficial to keeping the course interesting and engaging throughout.
“I took the course with my managers and advisors together. I found the content practical and useful. Our instructor, Bob Watt, used his own industry and life experience to make the course more interesting over the four day period. I strongly encourage you to take the course with the live instruction. It is worth your time.” – Sonia W.
Because elders are at a more mature stage in their life, the advice that they need will differ from younger people. The topics covered in each module of the EPC program focus on specific issues that elders face and will benefit from having professional guidance on how to deal with them.
What will I learn in the Elder Planning Counselor Program?
The EPC program is broken down into modules that focus on different topics. The main points of what each module covers are summarized below.
- Aging and Health IssuesThis module focuses on a wide variety of topics, including the statistics behind Canada’s aging population, the effects of aging (including things like chronic conditions, dementia, and nutrition and fitness). This section also outlines common needs, wants, and concerns that elderly clients may have. Students will also take a look at how age, gender, and ethnicity can affect how elderly people act when working with professionals.
- Social and Psychological IssuesThe physical, social, and psychological aspects of aging are discussed in this module. Plans for care as well as estate planning are discussed. Students will learn more about how to approach topics such as long-term care, general caregiving, housing options, and end-of-life planning.
- Financial IssuesSocial security and medicare benefits, as well as retirement planning, legacy planning (related to estate planning), traveling, and income tax are discussed in this module.
- Communication and Other Timely IssuesThis module focuses on the more social aspects of helping clients deal with issues that tend to arise as they age. Topics include the social aspects of aging, communication strategies, marketing strategies, information on elder fraud and financial exploitation, and ethics.
Who should take the Elder Planning Counselor Designation Program?
The Elder Planning Counselor Program focuses on teaching professionals how to effectively deal with the issues that people face as they age. Imagine that you are trying to help your parents or grandparents manage their finances or dreading having a conversation with them about their long-term care. These are difficult issues to face for anyone, and it can be hard to know how to approach these sensitive issues without offending or upsetting your loved ones. Apply this scenario to your clients – chances are they’ve had a conversation on common aging topics with their family, but often they feel more in control of their future when they can consult one on one with a trusted professional and make decisions on their own while they still can.
The EPC program is a specialization that can be taken by anyone who wants to enhance their career by specializing in helping elders.
Here is a list of common professions that can benefit from the EPC program:
- Certified Financial Planner®
- Accountant
- Insurance Agent
- Nurse
- Healthcare Worker
- Social Worker
How can I benefit from having the EPC Designation?
According to the CIEPS, the number of elderly people will outnumber all younger age groups within the next 10-30 years, meaning that there will be an increased need for financial, social, and healthcare supports for these individuals. With a growing elder population, the demand for services that cater specifically to older individuals will grow as well. By having the EPC designation, you’re giving your clients a more personalized experience by having specialized knowledge. Whether you’re a financial planner, insurance agent, social worker, or healthcare worker, the EPC program has great information that will enhance your career and help you serve your clients better than before.
Register for the EPC live webinars and seminars today!
